Full Movie Reviews

The aptly dubbed “french Hitchcock” Henri-Georges Clouzot delivers his most unforgettable film, the devilishly twisty and heart-pounding thrilling Les Diaboliques (1954). The story revolves around Christine Delasalle (Véra Clouzot), who owns a boarding school on the outskirts of Paris, her husband Michel (Paul Meurisse), and his mistress Nicole (Simone Signoret), who also works at the school. Tired of Michel’s abuses, Christine and Nicole come together to contort a plan to get rid of Michel. When things don’t go exactly as planned, suspicion and paranoia start taking a toll on both women’s psyche.

This film is a classic of french (horror) cinema, and rightly so. This psychological thriller has all the ingridients to be one of the most remembered suspenses movies of all time. Clouzot di...

A story that revolves around a rude Michel Delassalle (Meurisse) has ulterior motives aginst his wife Christina (Clouzot). A science teacher and friend of Christina, Nicole Horner (Signoret), helps her with her marital concerns. Alfred Fichet (Vanel) helps with Christina's dilemma. Plot was intricate and screenplay clever for its time. Some memorable lines: "Don't you think life is hard enough?" by Christina and "I don't have any regrets." "It doesn't always go as you want it. That's life." by Nicole. Direction was detailed, pace was perfect, build of of tense scenes and humor really good. This film is faultless and background support were wonderful. Had one of the well executed twists for its genre. Diabolique is an entertaining look at jealousy, crime, justice and malicious inte...

Hitchcock once told a story of a man who wrote him a letter. It seems the man's wife had seen Psycho and would no longer take a shower. She had also seen Diabolique and would no longer take a bath. HItchcock's advice to the man? Send her to the dry cleaners. Clouzot is as close as one is likely to get to Hitchcock as far as mastery of suspense is concerned. The dread he creates is palpable, and is all the more remarkable for how little he uses to manufacture it: an empty swimming pool, a young boy's story, a freshly cleaned suit, and so forth. Although the story has been told countless times since (including a deplorable Sharon Stone remake), it has seldom been done this effectively. And you'll never look at bathtubs the same way again . . . .